James Posey aims for title run with revamped Boston Celtics

With the heavy hitters in place in the starting lineup, Danny Ainge's next task was to bring in complementary veterans willing to play supporting roles to Paul Pierce, Garnett and Allen.

By Scott Souza

As recently as last week, Miami Heat coach Pat Riley talked about wanting to bring James Posey back for a third season to a place where he won an NBA championship in 2006.

Monday, Posey was talking title run as well. Only he was talking about making his next one in a Celtics uniform instead.

"There were other teams out there," said the 6-foot-8 swingman, sporting his massive ring, of the process that led him to sign a reported two-year contract with the Celtics. "Looking at it, you want the best chance to win a championship. This is the place to be for that right now."

A staggering thought mere months ago, Posey confirmed the perception of the Celtics has changed around the league following trades for All-Stars Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett since draft day. With the heavy hitters in place in the starting lineup, Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge's next task was to bring in complementary veterans on a budget who were willing to play supporting roles to Paul Pierce, Garnett and Allen.

With Posey, the Celtics have a player who filled an important niche on a team of shot-happy stars once and who will likely be capable of taking on a greater role if one of the 30-somethings in Boston's new triumvirate is sidelined this season.

"He plays hard, he has experience and he knows what it takes," Ainge said at a HealthPoint press conference Monday to announce the signing. "He's played with good players. He knows how to find his spots. He knows how to create. He's good at slashing with the ball. You have to work to create shots when you play with great players like (Shaquille O'Neal) and Dwyane Wade down in Miami and he's done that."

What the 30-year-old Posey has probably done best during his eight-year NBA career is play defense. While he's averaged 9.5 points and 4.9 rebounds during stints with the Nuggets, Rockets, Grizzlies and Heat - with a career-best 13.7 points in Memphis in 2003-04 - his biggest contributions show up in the depressed statistics of the players he's harassed and annoyed on the court.

"For me, it starts on the defensive end," he said. "That's what I take pride in. From there, I hope it will rub off on my teammates as well."

Posey said his agent, Mark Bartelstein, spoke with the Celtics throughout the summer in what became an increasingly frustrating and prolonged free agency period for a player thought to be among the most coveted on the market in June. But as teams struggled with the luxury tax threshold, and Posey dealt with a DUI arrest from April that was settled two weeks ago when he pled guilty to the lesser charge of reckless driving, he remained unsigned well after many of the bigger names found new homes.

"It was a long summer, a rough summer," Posey admitted. "But things happen for a reason. I am here for a reason and I am happy about it."

Miami and New Jersey were reportedly in the hunt for Posey's services at a discount rate before Ainge, who found out last Thursday that his hopes of bringing Reggie Miller out of retirement at age 42 would go unfulfilled, closed the deal with a large portion of the team's mid-level exception.

"I waited patiently and landed here in a great situation where we have an opportunity to win," said Posey, who consulted with Heat teammate and former Celtic Antoine Walker about relocating in Boston. "The moves that this team has made have been great.

"For me, it's about winning," he added. "Obviously, this is the best opportunity that there is to do that."

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